FIFA’s push for a World Cup halftime show would bring a distinctly American-style layer of spectacle to one of the biggest events in sports. Organizers reportedly want the performance to become the most-watched halftime show ever, turning the break in play into a global entertainment event as much as a sporting one.
The concept is said to date back to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when Coldplay frontman Chris Martin contacted Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans. Their connection through the Global Citizen Festival appears to have helped shape the idea, linking the World Cup to a large-scale concert format designed for massive international reach.
Star power is central to the pitch. Big names such as Shakira, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, and BTS would give the show immediate worldwide appeal and could draw viewers far beyond the usual football audience. That approach mirrors the Super Bowl model, where halftime has become a headline event in its own right.
But the proposal also raises an obvious question: whether soccer fans actually want that kind of production at the World Cup. For many supporters, the final is already the sport’s biggest stage, and adding a major pop spectacle could feel either like a natural evolution for a global audience or an unnecessary distraction from the match itself.
